My 21 month old imperial shih tzu s still having accidents!

[Samantha86]

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My 21 month old female imperial shih tzu keeps having accidents indoors (urinating). She was crate trained as a puppy and knows that she needs to go outside as she will go to the back door if she wants to go out and has never pooped indoors.

As soon as someone enters the house she will urinate and this happens daily. I keep her contained in the kitchen when I go out and even if I try to get her to the back door before saying hello she will go. Sometimes even when I've taken her out she will come indoors and urinate seconds later.

I have had to stop her sleeping upstairs as she will urinate, even if I have taken her down stairs throughout the night. I feel like things have taken a massive step backwards with her.

I praise her when she goes outside and I try not to excite her when first greeting her. The vet said she should grow out of it, but she hasn't.

I dont know what else to do with her, she is a lovely dog but this issue is starting to drive me mad! Please help!!

 

[gypsysmum2]

I see the vet has checked her out which is important so well done there.

It is always worth re visiting house training. Always take her to the garden and give her a high value treat immediately she toilets. Do not wait for her to walk towards you. The reward must be instant. If you used puppy pads or newspaper to help with her toilet training then this is particularly important to do as dogs become confused when trained this way and can think it is "ok" to toilet indoors.

One of the reasons dogs will urinate indoors is anxiety. The act of urination gives a feeling of relief and the dog can seek to find a way out of its anxiety by releasing urine and so feeling that all important sense of relief. It is also a submissive gesture designed to appease other dogs but which can transfer to appeasing owners.

Of course when we see a dog urinating indoors we get agitated and this makes the dog anxious and it may want to appease us if the dog thinks we are cross.

It is more common in young dogs which is why the vet said that your dog should grow out if it. If, however, she is feeling anxious then she may continue to do it in order to feel the sense of relief it gives her.

Does she feel anxious when you return home? Has she chewed/urinated/stolen etc while you have been out and so anticipates your displeasure when you come home? Dogs do not forget easily and even one such incident can stay with them for ever if not addressed.

The way forward, if this is the cause, is to build her confidence up and to resist getting even the tiniest bit exasperated when you come home or when she urinates for any other reason indoors.

Try to think of a really nervous toddler when you are dealing with her and give her reassurance rather than show your (understandable) irritation. It might help to think thoughts such as "never mind" rather than "oh no, not again!". This will transfer to your dog and she should grow in confidence. It will take time and she will regress sometimes. In the meantime could you confine her to a washable floor space to make life easier for you. Anything that helps you to think "never mind" as you see her weeing!

Other confidence building exercises might help like training her to do tricks or obedience exercises for rewards. Ignoring naughty behaviour and paying attention to her when she is behaving well is good too. Even is she is just lying quietly while you make dinner of watch tv do tell her how clever she is. Smile at her a lot.

Changes in the household can cause anxiety so factor that into your thinking too.

When cleaning up after her do use a 10% solution of biological detergent to wash the area. Rinse it, dry it and then go over the area with a spirit of some sort like white vinegar or surgical spirit to lift the last fat deposits present in urine.

You might like to use an Adaptil diffuser to help support her emotions. You can also get impregnated collars and sprays. Rescue remedy might help too?

 

[Samantha86]

Thank you for the advice, I'll try giving her treats and taking things back to basics with toilet training and hopefully this will work.

She is usually very excited when I return home and this is usually when she irinates, but she also does it just as she runs to another person. Even if someone speaks to her or smooths her she instantly urinates.

She does tricks and gets treats/praised for this. I just feel like we have hit a brick wall.

 

[gypsysmum2]

It must feel like that, especially when you thought you had it all sorted. It may just be puppy behaviour and the vet may well be right and she will grow out of it. Doesn't hurt to be working on her house training and keeping her calm in the meantime.

Perhaps when you come home you could be very boring to her? The excitement may not be helping her. Just come in, take your coat off, put the kettle on and then notice that you have a dog!

Ask other people to try to ignore her until she is calm and then to only stroke her gently in a calming way.

 

[Samantha86]

I'll give it a go. Thank you. Fingers crossed it works : )